Baal Kaanda
11 - Salutations to and the glory of the Name
Chaupais
Description
I greet the name 'Rama' of the chief of Raghus,* which is composed of seed-letters* representing the fire-god, the sun-god and the moon-god (viz., Ra, a and Ma respectively). It is the same as Brahma (the creative aspect of God), Visnu (His preservative aspect) and Siva (His disintegrating aspect), and the vital breath of the Vedas; It is attributeless, peerless and a mine of virtues. It is the great spell which Lord Mahesvara mutters and which, when imparted by Him at Kasi (the modern Varanasi) leads to emancipation†. Its glory is known to Lord Ganesa, who is worshipped before all others as a concession to the Name‡. The oldest poet (Valmiki) is acquainted with the glory of the Name, inasmuch as he attained to purity by repeating It in the reverse order§. Hearing the verdict of Lord Siva that the name is as good as a thousand other names of God, Goddess Bhavani (Parvati) dined with Her consort after uttering It only once#. Noticing such partiality of Her heart for the Name, Hara (Lord Siva) made that lady, who was the ornament of Her sex, the ornament of His own person (i.e., made Her a part of His own being by assigning to Her the left half of His body). Siva knows full well the power of the Name, due to which deadly poison served the purpose of nectar to Him.(1-4)